In chapter 9 we find Nick, Adam, and Roger walking all day in the pouring rain. While they are walking, they see a magpie, which hints at further trials to come (through the use of foreshadowing). Thoroughly soaked, Nick, Adam, and Roger arrive at an inn, where they decide to spend the night. The inn is located on Westhumble Lane, and the wife of the innkeeper goes to great lengths to make sure they are comfortable. Adam meets an elderly gentleman who tells him stories of his youth. Later on in the evening, Adam and Roger become the entertainers, and they tell the guests a story of adventure on the ocean. Before they can finish their story, an angry Jankin arrives with some tragic news. Jankin has ridden Bayard recklessly, in an attempt to show off, and the horse is now lame. Adam is despondent over the news of the horse, and he and Nick fall asleep side by side.